Law of the Underworld
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Lew Landers
Chester Morris
Anne Shirley
Eduardo Ciannelli
Walter Abel
Richard Bond
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
On the eve of their wedding, Annabelle Porter and Tommy Brown are robbed in Central Park by their neighbors, Rockey and his gangster cohort Frank. At the same time, Gene Fillmore, a bright and sophisticated nightclub owner, discusses the "gangster problem" with Warren Rogers, a special prosecutor who has been hired by the mayor to "clean up" New York. After declaring his fear of gangsters to Rogers, Gene shows up at Rockey's apartment, eager to make plans for a jewelry store holdup. During the discussion, Tommy and Annabelle burst in and, at gunpoint, demand their savings. Gene turns out the lights and overwhelms Tommy, then threatens to turn the innocent young couple over to the police. Faced with a possible jail term, Tommy and Annabelle agree to do Gene "a favor" and allow him to set them up in his lavish apartment and buy them new clothes. Eventually Gene informs the couple that they will be acting as decoys in the jewelry store robbery, which Rockey and several other gangsters are to execute. During the robbery, Rockey, who resents Gene's leadership, shoots and kills the store's owner and wounds a salesclerk. When Gene hears about the violence, he tells his girl friend, Dorothy Palmer, that he is "having it out" with Rockey. Dorothy, who is actually in love with Rockey, warns the gangster, who then confronts Gene at the nightclub. After Annabelle and Tommy save him from Rockey's bullets, Gene kills Rockey. Gene then repays the couple the money that they had lost to Rockey and orders them to disappear. Soon after, however, Gene is forced out of the gang by a heartbroken Dorothy, who also tells Rogers about Gene's part in the robbery. Identified by Dorothy, who is then killed by Batsy, a loyal cohort of Gene's, Annabelle and Tommy are interrogated repeatedly by the police, but refuse to implicate Gene in the gang. However, when faced with the knowledge that his silence will destroy Annabelle and Tommy's lives, Gene gives in and signs Rogers' confession of guilt.
Director
Lew Landers
Cast
Chester Morris
Anne Shirley
Eduardo Ciannelli
Walter Abel
Richard Bond
Lee Patrick
Paul Guilfoyle
Frank M. Thomas
Eddie Acuff
Jack Arnold
Jack Carson
Paul Stanton
George Shelley
Anthony Warde
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of this film were Crime and See No Evil. Hollywood Reporter news items add Bradley Page, Margaret Armstrong, Tom Kennedy, Bryant Washburn, Richard Parker, Monte Montague, Stanley Blystone and Lloyd Whitlock to the cast. Motion Picture Herald's "In the Cutting Room" adds Cecil Kellaway to the cast. The participation of these actors in the final film has not been confirmed. RKO first produced John B. Hymer and Samuel Shipman's play in 1930 as The Pay Off. Lowell Sherman directed and starred in the earlier film with Marion Nixon (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.4179).
